Instructor Class Description

Health Policy Research

Extends students' understanding of the nature of health policy and health policy development in the context of a market-based economy. Enrollment priority for Health Services PhD students. Prerequisite: HSERV 511, permission of instructor; recommended: HSERV 512.

Class description

The primary objective of this seminar is for students to work with faculty in applying evidence-based knowledge about the social determinants of health in the formation of research, policy, and program development for improving population health and reducing health disparities. Of these three, our focus is research to improve our knowledge about the determinants of population health, but with an eye toward policy implications and public health interventions. A secondary objective is to link the content of the U.S. health care and policy seminars by examining the contributions of medical care and health policy to population health. After this course, you should be able to perform the learning objectives below.

Student learning goals

Define the key elements of a population health approach;

Describe knowledge about how social determinants influence population health and health disparities;

Describe the contribution of medical care toward population health;

Present this knowledge using conceptual and causal thinking; and

Use this knowledge in research, public health policy, and program design to reduce health disparities among population groups and to improve the health of the whole population.

General method of instruction

Recommended preparation

Class assignments and grading

The information above is intended to be helpful in choosing courses. Because the instructor may further develop his/her plans for this course, its characteristics are subject to change without notice. In most cases, the official course syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class.
Last Update by David Grembowski
Date: 03/09/2007

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Modified:April 23, 2014